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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27349279">our boy jack</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/starshipaurora/pseuds/starshipaurora'>starshipaurora</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>spit in the face of history [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mechanisms (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol Mentions, Autism Spectrum, Autistic Shutdowns, Canon-Typical Mech Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Every Mech is Autistic, Every Mech is Trans, Fire, Found Family, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Mechsona, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Sort Of, Stimming, autistic author, is ashes-typical arson a tag because it should be</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:28:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,794</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27349279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/starshipaurora/pseuds/starshipaurora</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“You <i>don’t</i> know how you survived a collapsing building,” Tim says, it being very obvious that he’s begging for an explanation.<br/>“Long story short, got treated too well for a back injury. Now can y’leave me alone.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jonny d'Ville &amp; Nastya Rasputina, The Aurora/Nastya Rasputina, The Mechanisms Ensemble &amp; Jack Spratt, The Mechanisms Ensemble &amp; Original Character, The Mechanisms Ensemble &amp; The Mechanisms Ensemble</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>spit in the face of history [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1997290</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>64</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. flames and whiskey</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>[throws this out into the void] heyo have a mechsona/mechs oc fic</p><p>i don't have a solid plan at all for where this is going cause this is mostly just for funsies and self indulgence, so tags and trigger warnings will be added as this goes on. and updates will probably be sporadic oops</p><p>some quick notes: jonny, nastya, and ts are siblings, and jack won't be romantically shipped with any of the crew. any rom ships will probably just be in the background so they're not listed in the tags. besides nastya/aurora because i love them.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He can never catch a fuckin’ break, can he?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Christ,” Jack mutters, swirling the cheap whiskey around in his glass as he listens to the roaring fire around him. Everyone else had long since fled the bar, but no one had paid any mind to the madman who chose to stay.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Good. He likes being forgotten for once.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He takes a long sip before chucking the glass at the wall. He watches it shatter, the pieces falling into the flames. The fire licks at the barstools beside him. The wooden beams above him crack and tremble.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fire or collapsed building? Fifty-fifty on this one,” he mumbles, tracing a stain on the counter with his finger. “Collapsed building is less painful though. Might snap my neck. Been a while since I’ve gone out like that. Might break my spine. Mm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t get to think about it much longer before his vision goes black.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Woah, what the fuck.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack groans, pressing his palms into his eyes and furrowing his eyebrows. His whole body aches, his brain feels like sludge, and his leg stings with the distant pain of regeneration. Eh. Not any worse than a hangover.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey. You. What the fuck.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opens his eyes to a squint and only then realizes that he’s not at the bar’s counter anymore. He’s propped sitting against the wall—well, what remains of the wall, anyway—and there’s a human man(?) kneeling next to him. There’s no one else around. Even though the bar is still smoldering. The ruins of the building haven’t even been moved. Huh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you hear me? Hey.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man(???) waves a hand and then starts doing some Universal Space Sign Language For Five-Fingered Entities, of which Jack only catches “Fuck” and “What.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who... th’ hell’re you,” he grumbles out, rubbing at his eyes. He adds, just so he doesn’t have to deal with the sensory stimuli that is USSLFFFE, “Can hear n’ speak fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. I’m Tim. He/him but honestly that changes every week. I came here to have a drink but obviously that plan fell through and hey, by the way, how the fuck are you alive?” Tim flaps his hands to emphasize that last bit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Trying to stall on answering that hell of a question, Jack stares at him for a good minute. He’s dressed a little weird for this world’s overall culture, but who is he to judge? He’s only been here a decade. Fashion changes. Tim’s got big stompy boots, long hair that somehow still looks perfect despite the fact they’re both sitting in the still-kind-of-on-fire remains of a bar, and has some weird sort of... eye tattoos?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mm. Dunno,” Jack says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>know how you survived a collapsing building,” Tim says, it being very obvious that he’s begging for an explanation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Long story short, got treated </span>
  <em>
    <span>too </span>
  </em>
  <span>well for a back injury. Now can y’leave me alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim stares at Jack for long enough that neither of them are comfortable anymore, before he grabs Jack’s arm and hauls him off the ground. Jack’s legs buckle and he’s sent right to the ground again with a loud “Fuck!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“S’fine. I’m always off for a bit after this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim pauses in the middle of helping him stand. “...Did you tell me your name?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jack. He/they, she is fine if I tell you it is, and it’s not for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s fair.” Tim shuffles his feet. “Do you want to join me for a drink on ou— my starship? The middle of a burning building isn’t really a great way to end the night. I’ve got a bunch of beer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack squints, thinking. It’s not like dying from some stranger shooting him is an issue. Kidnapping can be kind of annoying. But he has a gun hidden in his belt and a knife tucked into his boot. So, what the hell.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure. As long as you promise not to kidnap me and take me across the galaxy,” he says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t guarantee that </span>
  <em>
    <span>won’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>happen,” Tim answers casually. “C’mon.” His boots cause embers to sizzle out from the ground as he leads Jack away from the bar and into a nearby forest. Jack follows, noticing the odd lack of Space Birds the further they go into the woods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally they enter a clearing with a giant bronze-colored starship parked in plain sight. Multiple rings move slowly around the main ship, and the outside is moving slightly, as if it has a pulse. Jack shivers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi Aurora, I’m back,” Tim says into a small speaker-like device by the door nearest the ground. “Yeah, I know, I got a guest, can you tell anyone who’s gonna care to come to the main room.” He lowers his voice so Jack can only slightly make out what he’s saying. “Tell them it’s about the doctor.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so Jack ends up standing awkwardly in the middle of a large room, twisting his fingers together and rocking back and forth. Tim shoots him an indecipherable look before turning to a mannequin in the corner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“TS, you can say hi, you know,” he says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mannequin— hey what the absolute fuck it’s moving. Its eyes lock on Jack and its mouth opens. “Oh, jolly good! I didn’t want to frighten you, old chap, sometimes it’s best to stay still when guests come onboard! Absolutely spiffing to meet you, I’m the Toy Soldier, what is your name?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It holds out a hand, joints creaking and gears audibly shifting. Must be some kind of clockwork android or something. “I’m Jack. I go by he/they, what are your, uh...” he trails off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I am just a Toy!” it says as an answer, and folds its hands together. Apparently it can only smile. And doesn’t blink? That’s creepy as hell, but Jack’s seen worse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door slides open and two people walk in. One has fuckin’ </span>
  <em>
    <span>wings </span>
  </em>
  <span>and the other is holding some kind of mechanic tools, covered in grease.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello,” the winged one says. “I’m Raphaella.” She turns to Tim. “You said this was about the doctor?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, who is this?” the maybe-mechanic says sharply, squinting at Jack. A latch opens up in the ship’s wall beside her and she drops the tools in. A wire slithers out and snakes up her arm, but apparently she doesn’t mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Jack, and I could ask the same to you,” he says, voice growing angrier by the second. He swivels around to face Tim. “I thought you were inviting me to your ship for a beer, not to tell you about some </span>
  <em>
    <span>doctor</span>
  </em>
  <span>, which I—” He makes a choking sound and goes silent. “...</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Your</span>
  </em>
  <span> ship?” the mechanic says, her voice nearing a screech. She grabs a wrench out of the wall and looks ready to throw it. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Tim—</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door opens again. “What’s happened with D—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man in the doorway stops dead in his tracks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack’s heart stops. He feels his entire body grow hot, and his spine aches. “Jonny?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’s the last thing he remembers before he goes completely numb.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. no one here is socially skilled at all</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this chapter is a structural mess because i just kept writing and hoping i'd find an end <i>somewhere</i> but hopefully yall enjoy it anyway</p><p>warnings this chapter for:<br/>- tying someone to a chair and (unintentionally) blocking their ability to stim<br/>- description and implication of a panic attack/meltdown<br/>- eye trauma/injury</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Oh gods. Oh fuck, he can’t— he can’t do this again, he can’t remember anything when he’s tried so hard to forget—</p><p>He feels himself collapse and is caught by someone who smells like gunpowder and... lavender shampoo? Tim. That’s probably Tim. With the fuckin’ Rapunzel hair. Okay. He needs to reorient himself so he can get the fuck out of here.</p><p>“Tim, who the fuck is that?” Jonny says, and Jack hears the click of a gun.</p><p>“This is Jack. I found him at a bar. That burned down,” Tim says slowly. “And he wasn’t hurt at all.”</p><p>Everyone goes silent. Jack stands, wobbly, and tries to force words out of his throat.</p><p>“Just let me go. I don’t—” He sways again, but shoves Tim away when he tries to reach for him. He tries and fails to sound as tough as he normally is. “I don’t know who the fuck y’all are, or why you care about— about <em> her </em>, but I’m not in the mood for this.”</p><p>“We are the Mechanisms!” the Toy Soldier supplies helpfully, as it hasn’t yet processed any of the emotions in the room.</p><p>Jack isn’t listening, anyway. He’s turning back to the door, his vision blurry as he takes a step forward.</p><p>Then there’s the resounding noise of a gunshot, and he falls to the floor.</p><p>“Jonny, what the hell!” Tim says, shooting Jonny square in the chest.</p><p>“That’s the fucking—” Jonny shoots Tim back, aiming for his shoulder. “That’s the Mad Jack Spratt kid, from King Cole’s war! It’s been millennia but I remember his fuckin’ face.” His voice quiets a little. “I was at Outpost Rapunzel the day he should’ve died. He shouldn’t be alive. The only way it’s possible—”</p><p>“—Is if he came in unfortunate contact with Doctor Carmilla,” Nastya finishes, even quieter.</p><p>The impact of those words silences the room, until Jack groans and slowly moves to a sitting position on the floor. He holds his head in one hand and points a gun at Jonny.</p><p>“I don’t know why you’re here or— or how you’re alive, Jonny, but you’re gonna let me go or I’ll shoot your whole crew,” he says.</p><p>“Rude,” Ashes mutters.</p><p>“Also rude of you to assume we’re <em> his </em>crew,” Tim says. “Or that we can be shot,” he adds, earning a wide-eyed look from Jack. Jonny cackles.</p><p>“You really think I’d be running ‘round the universe with a buncha <em> mortals </em>?” he laughs. “None of us can die, and the doors are locked, so good luck escaping before you tell us everything you know about the Doctor, you bastard.”</p><p>Jack lowers the gun and slowly stands, clenching and unclenching his fists. “Do you need to be reminded that you just shot me? I can’t die either, so <em> good luck </em> gettin’ a story outta me before you tell me exactly who y’all are.”</p><p>Nastya chuckles. “He is giving you a run for your money, Jonny.” She turns to Jack. “Well, to get myself out of your way— My name is Nastya Rasputina, I’m the engineer. If you hurt my Aurora I will hang you from her wires.”</p><p>Jack nods stiffly at her. And then he dies again.</p><p>---</p><p>
  <b>You are getting blood all over my floors, Jonny.</b>
</p><p>“Yeah, I know, Aurora, but I’d rather clean up some blood than get shot in the balls because this kid dents your screens,” he replies, grunting as he picks up Jack’s limp body and starts towards the other side of the room, where a large circular table is nestled into the curved wall. The chair furthest in the back has shackles built in. Don’t ask why.</p><p>“What are we gonna do? Interrogate him until he tells us what we want?” Brian asks.</p><p>“I have some tools that may assist you with that,” Raphaella adds, sounding a little <em> too </em>happy to help.</p><p>“Nope. He’s probably expecting to be tortured. We’re just gonna sit ‘im down for a nice old-fashioned chat,” Jonny says with fake cheer as the shackles click together over Jack’s wrists.</p><p>“A little uncharacteristic of you, don’t you think?” Tim questions, giving Jonny a Look that says You’re Feeling An Emotion Right Now, Aren’t You? Jonny ignores it.</p><p>“Shut up.”</p><p>---</p><p>Jack wakes up from death for the third time today, which in all honesty is pretty good, on average. What isn’t good is the sinking realization that hits when he’s unable to move his arms.</p><p>“Motherfucker,” he mumbles.</p><p>“Good morning,” Jonny says sarcastically, and Jack looks up to see that the whole crew is sat around the table, staring at him. And he can’t even stim with his hands. Fuck.</p><p>“I’m not saying anything until you tell me why you didn’t fall with Outpost Rapunzel. No one else survived,” Jack says, trying to push down the flood of memories that comes with it.</p><p>“Same reason you didn’t fall, either.”</p><p>That silences him immediately.</p><p>“Going right for the kill, huh?” Tim scoffs.</p><p>A few seconds pass. Jack kicks at the chair, feeling the hard metal hit his heels.</p><p>“Are you all...” he trails off.</p><p>“Yep. All mechanized by the Doc.” Jonny waves a hand at the Toy Soldier. “Except for the Toy Soldier. It’s just here.”</p><p>Jack is quiet. The red-hot anger that had been swirling inside him is only growing, bouncing around in his skull.</p><p>
  <em> I’m trapped. I’m trapped and they can’t die either and I can’t escape and I can’t move and— </em>
</p><p>“What do you want to know?” he says, barely audible.</p><p>“That was easy,” Ashes comments lightly. Jonny ignores them and stands up, placing his hands on the table. Jack notices that the table shifts a little as he does it.</p><p>“Where’s your mechanism?”</p><p>Numbness spreads up his back and unconsciously, he bangs his wrists against the chair in the small space the shackles allow.</p><p>“Where is it?” Jonny presses.</p><p>
  <em> He won’t let me go until I tell him everything. I have to remember everything or find a way out, I need to find a way out. </em>
</p><p>“My spine.”</p><p>“How’d you die? The first time.”</p><p>Jack squeezes his eyes shut. <em> Fuck fuck fuck— </em> “Thrown at— at the wall by a Rosie.”</p><p>“Jonny,” Tim says, a warning lacing his tone. He’s only slightly better at Emotions than Jonny, but he can tell something’s up.</p><p>“How did she find you?”</p><p>Jack kicks at the table so hard that it slides directly into Jonny’s stomach with a loud screech. Aurora, always one for drama, unlocks his shackles, and he stands up before throwing a knife directly into Jonny’s right eye.</p><p>“Ask me one more question, or kill me one more time, and I swear to the fucking gods I’ll never speak to any of you again no matter what you do or where you take me,” he says, chest rising and falling rapidly as he breathes.</p><p>No one responds for almost a full minute. Nastya shoots Jonny out of sympathy for his injured eye, but no one says a word.</p><p>“Tim. Can we have a word. Alone.” Jack’s eyes snap to Tim, who curls a finger around his hair and tugs it.</p><p>“Yeah. Yeah I think that would be best,” he answers.</p><p>He leads Jack out of the room and into the hall, leaving the rest of the crew behind. As soon as the doors slide shut, Jack pins Tim against the wall.</p><p>“What the absolute <em> fuck </em>,” Jack snarls, “did you bring me into.”</p><p>“Listen, we just— we want to know everything about the Doctor that you remember, that’s it,” Tim says, very calm for someone who’s being held to the wall. “We were all mechanized too.”</p><p>“Yeah, but you lied to me,” he says. “I thought I was gonna join you for a drink, not fuckin’ tied to a chair and interrogated.”</p><p>Tim squints at him. “Honestly, if I told you <em> hey, join me on the sentient ship I live in with like ten other immortals so we can question you about the doctor who made you immortal, too </em>, would you have said yes?”</p><p>Jack huffs and loosens his grip. “Maybe. You don’t know me.” He stares at the ground for a minute before looking back up. “Here’s my deal: you take me to another planet— I don’t care what it is as long as it’s got breathable air and alcohol— and before I leave, I’ll tell you everything I know. And then none of us have to speak to each other ever again.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>oh jack, do you really think you're gonna get away that easy</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. uncomfortable</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>it's been a while, but the boy is back!</p>
<p>this chapter has warnings for:<br/>- brief description of a ptsd flashback/panic attack<br/>- an autistic shutdown<br/>- description of jack drinking too much alcohol &amp; heavy implication of him being an alcoholic<br/>(if you don't want to read the latter, stop reading after the line "Jack is alone once more.")</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tim is quiet for a few moments. “Fine. But you better keep your word, or we </span>
  <em>
    <span>will </span>
  </em>
  <span>hunt you down.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t doubt it,” Jack says, and roughly lets go of him. “Now, d’you have somewhere I can stay ‘til you drop me off, or am I gonna have to deal with your </span>
  <em>
    <span>friends </span>
  </em>
  <span>‘til then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll get the Toy Soldier to show you to a room,” Tim says, waving a hand in dismissal. He turns towards the door. “I recommend you wait out here. Jonny is going to want to kill you again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack crosses his arms and leans against the wall. When Tim walks back in, he hears shuffling, talking, yelling, arguing, then a chipper voice and shoes tapping on the ship’s metal floors.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hallo, old chap! Gunpowder Tim told me I’ll be showing you to a room!” It salutes at him. He gives a confused salute back, but it’s already marching off down the hallway. Jack scurries to catch up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opens and closes his mouth, trying and failing to come up with some sort of snarky remark, but the Toy Soldier creeps him out too much. It beats him to speaking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, you’re Jack Spratt, eh?” it asks, expression never wavering from a smile. It glances at him. “We sing your song! Our Boy Jack, it’s called, but I’m certain you know that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He scratches at his collarbone absentmindedly. “Yeah, yeah, that’s... that’s my song. Anthem of the— the Resistance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It keeps walking in an absolute straight line, despite staring directly at him. “You seem uncomfortable!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not fuckin’ uncomfortable,” he scoffs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you not like the song?” it asks, stopping at a door and pressing a few buttons. The door hisses open. Jack resists the urge to cover his ears and doesn’t answer the question. “Ah. You don’t like the song.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never said that,” he scowls.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, your lack of an answer was bloody clear, old chap!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut the fuck up!” Jack snarls, stepping into the room and slamming the button that closes the door in the Toy Soldier’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s dark in here. And silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He screams wordlessly and kicks at the door. The lights flicker on, seeming almost... angry. A screen swivels out from the wall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>I would advise you not to continue hitting me.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is this, Jonny? Are you watching me on a camera or something, you creep?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>No. This is the Aurora, and I have a supply of multiple kinds of toxic gases.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A sentient spaceship. Figures.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Deciding that he doesn’t really feel like dying for the thousandth time today, he bites down the urge to lash out again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He drags his hands over his face and throws himself on the bed. As soon as he does, he inhales sharply and rubs his soot-covered hands over the clean sheets. This is... the most comfortable bed he’s had in— years.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Holy shit,” he whispers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He rolls over and presses his face into the soft mattress, nose digging into the soft material. Soon, his body is spread over the bed, his face pressed into the pillow. The Aurora emits soft beeps and whirrs from every surface. It’s almost enough to lure him to sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But this boy has a century’s worth of trauma, and there’s no way his motherfucker of a brain is letting him go that easy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack hears footsteps outside the door and is sent off the bed immediately. He takes quiet, tiptoe-steps until his back is against the farthest wall from the door, and he reaches for a rifle he doesn’t have.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Don’t breathe, don’t blink, hide ‘til they’re close enough to shoot—</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Gunpowder Tim and Jonny are outside the door. Would you like me to open it?</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack shakes his head quickly. He slides down to sit against the wall, hugging his knees to his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Aurora gives an almost thoughtful hum, and the door remains shut. But he can still hear the conversation taking place in the hall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are you so attached to the kid?” Jonny.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not attached! He offered a deal in exchange for everything he knows, that he could stay until Aurora takes us somewhere else, and I think that’s a pretty easy thing to give up for more information on the Doctor. She’s not gonna let him out of the room. And you do know how many deadly toxins Raph stores onboard, right?” Tim.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know, I’ve been the victim of all of ‘em,” Jonny says. He sighs. “Fine. He can stay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s silence. And then Tim says, “Are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>attached?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut the fuck up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were with him for years. You were there right before he died. And I’ve seen your face ever since I got him here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s the same face you had with Raph, and with Marius.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A beat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I don’t? Then how come you asked TS to give him this room specifically, the one with the best mattress besides our own beds?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack hears a yell, a gunshot, and three more, and metal scraping, and a loud screech from the Aurora, and then he doesn’t hear anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t hear or feel or see anything for a while, after that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he does manage to see two boots stop in front of him. The legs attached to the boots kneel and sit opposite him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you hear me, Jack? Hold up a hand if yes.” He doesn’t recognize this voice very well. Has he heard it before?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack slightly raises a hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, good. My name’s Baron Marius von Raum, but you can just call me Marius.” Marius has a single goggle wrapped around his head and is picking at his glove. Distantly, Jack notices one of his arms is made of metal. “I’m the ship’s doctor.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack gives his best scowl. He doesn’t need a fuckin’ doctor. He needs to be left alone. Or alcohol. Preferably both.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just want you to answer a question for me. Hold up your hand for a yes, a fist for a no.” A pause. “Are you in a shutdown right now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’s... not the kind of question he was expecting. He’s so surprised that he gives an honest answer, and holds up his hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your eyes are pretty glazed over. And your body language is pretty clear. Anyway. Do you want me to leave?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yes. He nods sharply. Yes, gods, go away, please.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, fine. And... it was Jonny who asked me to check on you. After he woke up from being shot in the head, obviously. In case you wanted to know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door opens and closes, and Jack is alone once more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a few minutes, he crawls back onto the bed, paying no attention to the amount of dirt still coating it. A panel next to the bed opens up to reveal a shelf of beer bottles. He grabs one and downs it in one go.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks,” he mutters, already reaching for another.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>You’re welcome, Jack.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He just has to get to the next planet. Just has to drink the time away until someone comes to interrogate him. Should be easy enough, he thinks, popping the cap off his third bottle of beer.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>jonny's got emotions? shocking.</p>
<p>jack went through a lot this chapter, huh. this is the worst it gets for a while though! probably.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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